There are a number of insects that can cause damage and irritation to horses, cattle and swine inside and outside of barn areas. These insects include biting flies, flies, lice, bots, and arthropods such as mites and ticks may cause problems. The control of insects associated with horses, cattle and swine and their premises can be eliminated with our cedar oil formulations and cedar wood granular.
FLYING INSECTS
Several types of biting flies bother horses, cattle and swine. These include mosquitoes, black flies, deer flies, horse flies and stable flies. These insects feed on blood and are persistent feeders that cause significant irritation to horses, cattle and swine and there off-spring.
STABLE FLY INSECTS
Stable flies will feed on blood from practically any warm blooded animal including horses, humans, pets and other livestock. During periods of high stable fly activity, humans can be severely annoyed. Peaks of feeding activity commonly occur during the early morning and again in the late afternoon. Stable flies prefer feeding on lower parts of the hosts such as the legs and belly of horses and cattle. Both male and female flies feed on blood; the female requires blood meals to produce viable eggs. Eggs are deposited into a variety of decaying animal and plant wastes but are rarely found in fresh manure. Egg status to adult is generally completed in three to six weeks.
STABLE MANAGEMENT
A Stable Management program is of importance to control all insects, otherwise the management program is doomed to failure without this important first step. Control of both soil-borne and flying insects in barnyards, stables or corral areas usually involves several methods. Using our cedar oil products, control is directed at larval and adult stages of all insects and is usually required periodically.
TREATMENTS
A variety of products & techniques are available to the horse owner. Generally, control of adult insects using residual insecticides as surface treatments and knock-down sprays to kill existing adult insects are the most effective techniques. In most barnyard situations, a combination of residual and space sprays is used, often on an alternating schedule. Treatments applied directly to horses are effective for control of stable or house flies as residual surface treatments. In practice, both techniques usually are needed.
Misting or fogging-Knock-down sprays are effective in killing adult flying insects present at the time of application. The formulas for these applications are usually short residual having a quick knock-down and high contact toxicity. Several types of misting or fogging apparatus may be used for these applications. Wind velocities should be low at the time of application and the droplet or particle size should be small to ensure drift through the corral area. This method requires less time for application but has the disadvantage that it will only kill flying insects present at application and thus provides short-term relief.
Direct kill sprays may be used to protect animals. Formula’s used for direct animal application usually have short residual activity.